Forever
by Tifa Gainsborough
Summary: If Zack had survived the attack by Shinra what would have become of him. Would he have found his Aerith again. Or would fate forever keep them apart?


Damn the world

_Damn the world!_ He had been repeating that to himself over and over again. Drilling it into his head so he would never forget. One day his body would move again and he would be able to get back on with his life. Then he could go find her. _Her._

Dragging his mind away from her was difficult but he managed. The sound of voices up above also helped him. _Are they talking about me? Talking about how poor and pitiful I am now?_ Trying to laugh was an effort that left him breathless. He silently cursed his frail body. Once he had been a proud member of SOLDIER. Helping to defend Shinra alongside his General. 

_Sephiroth, I wonder where he is now._ _Most likely dead, like everybody probably thinks I am._

But he wasn't dead, although at times he wished death upon him. Lying on the cold floor, unable to do anything for himself. Having to have people wait on him, feed him his meals. Do all the things he had once taken for granted. 

At times he would give anything to still be up on that hill, lying in the dirt. Surrounded by a growing pool of his blood. _What did I do to deserve this? All I did was try to help a friend. Now I have to spend the rest of my life in misery. _

Footsteps could be heard drawing nearer and he knew what was coming next. Forcing his eyes shut, he went back into his memory. Back to her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**(Past)**

"Do you really have to leave," she whispered, watching him back.

Fighting a sigh he shoved more clothes into the small bag. It was a standard issue SOLDIER bag that hardly fit his stuff. 

"I told you, I have to go. People are relying on me," he explained for the fifth time that afternoon.

The bedroom fell silent and he continued to pack his belongings. He slipped into the bathroom to grab a few things to shove into his bag. When he reemerged the girl perched on his bed was crying. Dropping everything without a second thought he walked to her side.

"Don't cry baby," he whispered sitting next to her. "I hate it when you cry."

Pulling her into his arms only added to her tears. Burying her face into his chest she wrapper her thin arms around his torso. Gently stroking her hair he whispered soothingly into her ear. 

"I don't want you to go," her voice was muffled by his shirt.

"Honey I have to go. I'll probably only be gone a few days," he explained, laying a light kiss on her forehead.

Her eyes were rimmed with tears as she pulled back to look at him. Shaking her head sent brown tangled hair flying.

"Something is different this time. Something tells me you won't be coming back. I can't face that," she whispered, her voice soft with unshed tears, "I just can't."

Sliding off the bed he dropped to his knees and looked up at her, holding her hands gently.

"Through acts of fate we are separated," he whispered to her. "Through the bonds of love we will forever be together."

Lips transformed into a beautiful smile, chasing away the remainder of her tears. "Oh Zack."

She threw herself off the bed and landed in his waiting arms. 

"I love you," they whispered in unison. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**(Present)**

Days slowly slipped away from him. Zack was having a hard time keeping the days straight. For a long time Cloud and his friends were gone. Leaving him alone in the basement of the bar. The little girl spent many hours down here chatting with him.

Watching her tore at his heart. 

She would ask him to play with her, to come up stairs so he could scare all the bad men away from the bar. What use he would have been to her was a joke. He was only now being able to sit up. 

"Come on," she pleaded one day. "I'm really scared."

Zack raised one eyebrow at the small girl. _What is she so afraid about?_

The girl tugged on his hand. "Please. Daddy and Auntie Tifa have been gone a really long time. There sounds like fighting outside. People are yelling really loud, I'm scared mister."

"O-okay," Zack was able to muster. 

With the help of the table and the girl Zack was able to climb to his feet. Leaning on every object he could grab, his stumbling feet managed to carry him to the lift. Zack collapsed against the pinball machine and waited for it to take him up.

"Hello? Is anybody here," somebody called from upstairs.

Every muscle in Zack's body froze. The girl buried her face into his leg, wrapping her tiny arms around him. _I recognize that voice._

"Marlene, are you here? Please Marlene, if you are here come out."

Zack looked down at the small trembling girl and gently patted her head. Red-rimmed eyes looked up at him, cheeks stained with tears.

"U-u-up," Zack whispered, his voice still hoarse.

Brown hair bobbed as Marlene nodded. Zack grabbed onto the machine to keep from tumbling off as the lift began to rise. Finally she came into view, her back to them, searching around the bar.

"A-Aerith?"

Aerith spun around at the sound of Zack's voice. Green eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of him. Tilting her head to one side she stared at him. "Zack?"

"It's m-me."

"Zack!"

Aerith raced across the room and fell into his arms. Rocking under the weight of the impact Zack managed to stay standing.

"Hey sweetie," he whispered, gently stroking her hair.

"Oh Zack, I thought I would never see you again." Suddenly she pulled back and punched him in the chest. "It's been five years, where have you been?"

Zack tried to laugh but it ended up coming out as a cough. "It's a long story. We need to leave don't we."

Marlene peeked out from behind Zack's leg and peered up at Aerith. "You're pretty," she whispered.

"My feelings exactly," Zack said, giving Aerith a playful smile. 

Aerith just shook her head. "Lets go you two."

Together Aerith and Marlene were able to get Zack out of the bar and moving towards sector five with only little trouble. 

"Wait," Zack said, just feet from Aerith's house.

Zack didn't even give his instincts a second thought. He let go of Aerith and threw himself into a bush out of sight. 

"I've been looking for you," a voice said. 

Zack peered through the bushes and the man that was quickly approaching them. _Tseng the leader of the Turks, but what is he doing after Aerith._

"Go away Tseng," Aerith said pushing Marlene behind her. 

"I'll make a deal with you. The girl can run safely along and you can come with me. Or you both can come with me. I'm sure Hojo will find some use for her," Tseng said, staring the two down. 

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to hand Marlene over to Shinra?"

_Don't Aerith, please don't do this. I just finally found you again, please don't make me search anymore,_ Zack pleaded with her silently. 

"Well?"

Aerith turned to the little girl and kneeled down next to her. "Marlene, my house is just up that way. You go up there and in a few minutes come back for Zack. But don't tell anybody that he was here."

"I promise," Marlene said. With that she turned and ran off to Aerith's house.

Zack could only watch as Aerith left with Tseng. She sent one glance over her shoulder and Zack had a sinking suspicion it would be the last time he saw her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Zack waited a long time to Marlene to come back. But she never returned, probably being told to stay inside by Aerith's mother. _Aerith, you just have to be all right. Please be all right._

He didn't know how long he was in those bushes. Sleep overtook him a few hours later. He was lost in dreams of Aerith with a small girl named Marlene when. 

_Zack_.

Eyelids shot up at the sound of his voice. He looked around him searching for the person who was calling him. 

_Come Zack._

"Who's there," he whispered.

Zack come to the reunion. You must follow me. 

His body jerked to a standing position and he found himself moving. Just a few hours ago he could hardly stand, now he was walking briskly out of Midgar. _NO! I have to go back for Aerith I can't leave her._

_Come!_

Zack knew no more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cloud stumbled into the town of Nibelhiem, hardly believing his eyes. 

"This was all supposed to be burnt down, right?" Tifa asked him looking around the town. 

"I thought so," Cloud nodded.

They looked around the town, unable to comprehend what is going on.

"Then why? My house is still there too…"

Aerith came to stand next to them. "Something's strange." 

"I'm not lying," Cloud defended himself. "I remember the intense heat of the flames."

Cloud and Tifa wandered off in different directions, mumbling to themselves and the city. Aerith remained at the entrance. _May as well look around_.

Aerith looked through the town, peering into people's windows. Nobody even gave her a second glance; it was like she wasn't there at all. _They are like puppets putting on a play_, Aerith observed watching the people. Something in one of the windows caught her attention.

A man in a black cloak was hunched near a fire still as a stone. Tapping on the glass Aerith tried to draw the attention of the figure. The hooded head remained stationary, staring straight ahead. 

Aerith pushed the door open and walked over to the man. "Hello?"

"Re… uni…..on," a voice moaned under the hood.

"No…. Please no," Aerith pleaded.

Reaching out one shaking hand she pulled the hood back to reveal a black haired man. Tears trailed down her face as she looked into Zack's blank eyes.

"Zack. Can you hear me?"

"Sephiroth….must….go….to ….Sephiroth." Zack's voice was hollow.

Aerith collapsed against Zack, sobbing into his shoulder. Her former love made no move to hold her or comfort her. This wasn't her Zack. 

"Aer….ith," Zack whispered.

"Zack?"

"He…lp….me."

Zack's voice was soft, almost desperate sounding. 

Aerith pulled back to look at him. "I don't know how to help you."

"Ki…"

"No! I can't do that, please don't ask me to do that," Aerith said brushing tears from her eyes. 

"Pl…e…ase….Aerith."

_I can't leave him like this. But how could I possibly save him. He's probably long gone. _She looked up into those blank eyes, eyes that had once held so much life and wept. Collapsing into a pile at his feet when her knees gave out on her. She wept into the material of the cloak as he stared lifelessly ahead.

"Aerith," Cloud called appearing in the doorway. 

"Aerith!"

Tifa spotted the sobbing girl and rushed over, dropping to her knees next to her friend. "Aerith, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

"I'm okay," Aerith said, trying to stop her tears. "Please, I'd just like to be alone for a while."

"Aerith…" Cloud began to say no.

"Cloud, lets leave Aerith alone for a while. We'll be right outside," Tifa said.

"But," Cloud protested as Tifa dragged him from the house. 

"Zack," Aerith asked, getting to her feet.

"Must….go….Sep….ir…oth."

Aerith looked deep into the eyes she loved so much and finally had to look away. Zack wasn't in there anymore. A shell, Jenova was using his body. Her Zack was long gone. 

Aerith searched around, her eyes falling on the metal on the table. She grabbed the dagger and held it in her hand, tears returning. 

"I don't know how," she whispered coming back to stand next to him. 

"He…art…."

Aerith positioned the blade above his heart, her hands trembling. Closing her eyes left her with the vision of his dead eyes dancing behind closed lids. She froze as a hand lay over hers. 

"Lo…ve….al…."

Zack's body stumbled forward and Aerith bit her lip to keep from screaming. Grabbing his body, she helped lower him to the ground. His eyes were closed, his face finally looked at peace.

"Zack," Aerith whispered, gently brushing her fingers over his cooling cheek.

Lowering her head to his chest, Aerith sobbed for her fallen past. 

"Through acts of fate we are separated. Through the bonds of love we will forever be together," Aerith whispered softly, remembering his words. 

_Someday we will be together again. Someday._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Authors Note:**I had writers block. This story just came to me all of a sudden. Just a thought on what would have happened if Zack had survived. Aerith did not kill him, Zack took his own life. But I think dying at her hands would have been what he would have wanted. Instead of living life as a mindless Sephiroth clone.

**Disclaimer**: The characters, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Sephiroth, Jenova, Marlene, Tseng, and Zack are all copyrighted by Squaresoft. I own nothing… damn-it!


End file.
